Print the Biography/Short

Gijs Esders

Netherlands

SportSpeed Skating
NOCNetherlands
Born09 Jun 1992 in  Deventer
GenderMen
ResidenceDeventer, NED
Higher educationBusiness, Economics - Saxion University of Applied Sciences: Enschede, NED
LanguagesDutch, English
Personal Bests
EventRecordDateLocation 
Personal Bests
  Event RecordDateLocation 
    500m 34.99 26 Jan 2019 Heerenveen  
    1000m 1:08.67 23 Nov 2019 Heerenveen  
    1500m 1:47.48 29 Dec 2018 Heerenveen  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Club / TeamGewest Fryslan: Netherlands  
General Interest
General Interest
Memorable sporting achievementBeing selected to compete at the 2018 World Cup event in Obihiro, Japan. (Athlete, 21 Nov 2018)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Reason for choosing this sport"I like the speed, the technical element and the variation in training over the summer and winter months."  
General Interest
General Interest
Most influential person in careerDutch speed skater Ruben Broekhuizen. (Athlete, 21 Nov 2018)  
Hero / IdolSpanish tennis player Rafael Nadal. (Athlete, 21 Nov 2018)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Name of coachHenk Hospes [club], NED  
When and where did you begin this sport?He began speed skating in 2000 at Sport Centre De Scheg in Deventer, Netherlands.  
General Interest
General Interest
Sporting philosophy / motto"Dream, but don't neglect execution." (Athlete, 21 Nov 2018)  
Other informationCLUB SWITCH
In October 2021 he terminated his contract with Team Reggeborgh after one year and returned to Gewest Fryslan. He had previously been with Gewest Fryslan for five seasons. "My first season at Reggeborgh didn't go great, but it wasn't bad either. After last season [2020/21], we made a nice plan and it went really well, until we ended up on the summer ice in June. I noticed that the plan fluctuated a bit on the ice and that suddenly got me thinking. After our training camp in Mallorca [Spain] we went out on the ice again and I still wasn't skating well. At one point I started to give in to those doubts and said to myself, 'Gijs, your gut tells you not to skate here'. I looked in the mirror and asked the question, 'Am I becoming a better athlete here?' No, was my answer. And after that it went pretty quickly. I would rather be happy and uncertain in terms of income than financially secure and unhappy." (schaatsen.nl, 17 Oct 2021, 12 Oct 2021)

OCCUPATION
He has been employed as a trainee at a car leasing company in Drachten, Netherlands, and as a content marketer for a digital health company in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. (Athlete, 21 Nov 2018; LinkedIn profile, 01 Sep 2020)
 
Social Media
Social Media
www.facebook.com/gijs.esders  
twitter.com/GijsEsders  
General Interest
General Interest
AmbitionsTo win a medal at the Olympic Winter Games. (schaatsen.nl, 17 Oct 2021)  
Social Media
Social Media
gijsesders.nl  
World Cups
Year Competition Event Rank  
World Cups
    2018/2019 World Cup Classification 1000m23  
    2018/2019 World Cup Classification 1500m45